Turn indicator for automobiles



Feb. 4, 1941.

A. F. PFINGSTEN TURN INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Jan. 12, 1938 2Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNE 1941- A. F. PFINGSTEN 2,230,871

TURN INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Jan. 12, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVEN TOR ZZZM ATTORNE Patented Feb. 4,. 1941 2,2Ii 0,87l

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE roan summits: Auroiromms v AugustF.1'ilngsten, Bock Iowa. 3 Application January 12,1938,'Serlal No.184,572

, 1 Claim.

My invention relatesto a turn indicator. An object of my invention is toprovide a turn indicator which is mounted in such a position on thevehicle that it can.- not' fail to be seen from all points. I

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which presents a neat and symmetrical appearance in line. withthe presentday design of automobiles.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device which is readilyseen in strong sunlight or at night. I

A further object of my invention is to provide an apparatus of this typewhich works smoothly i5 and instantaneously in the operation of suitableswitches and the like.

A further object of my invention is to provide a turn indicator which iscombined with a suitable radio antenna.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of thischaracter, whichin inoperative or forward position will .not sway due towind pressure and will remain in fixed position when in such inoperativeposition.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for efflcientlyswinging the indicating por-' tions of the apparatus to either side.

, A further object of my invention is to provide a stop signal whichfunctions cooperatively with theindicatorsignalp a c A further object ofmy invention is to provide a weather resisting indicator which is simplein construction.

vWith theseand other objects in view, my invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of mydevice, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinaftermore fully set forth, pointed out in my claim. and illustrated in the110- companying drawings, in which:

V Figure 1 is a side elevation of the indicator mounted upon the top ofa vehicle, 1

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same,

Figure 31s a sectional view taken substantially along the lines 3-3 ofFigure 2,

Figure 4 is a view'taken substantially along the linesHofFi gure3,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the the switch,

' (see Figure 2)..

Figure .10'isa modification showing the antenna attachment, and g VFigure 11 is a tic view showing the device explaining its comparativeadvantages at street intersections. n 5

I have used the character III to indicate generally an automobile topwhich naturally is at the uppermost part of the vehicle. The princi: palobject of my invention is to position my device on the top of thevehicle on the center there- 10 of and slightly towards the rear. Thisprovides the best location for indicating to drivers, in any positionof, the same on other highways or streets, stops or turns.

My invention employs the use of a concave 15 chamber II which issubstantially semi-spherical in form and which is attached by means ofthe rim ii to the top of the vehicle 10. The chamber l I receives at ISa shaft I which extends into the portion l5. Attached to the portion i5and 2e above the top of the chamber it is a further cover member l6which includes the arcuate side 7 walls I! which follow substantiallythe contour of the chamber II and extend downwardly a slight distancethereon. Attached to the memher I6 is the indicating member II which ishollow throughout as shown in Figure 5v and which terminates in thearrow portion IS. The member l8 includes the transparent mica orCelluloid 20 which can be colored red or any other suitable color. Themember I 8 is substantially circular throughout its section but at thearrow portion l9 terminates in a flattened formation as at 2| The member13 extends rearwardly and terminates in a smooth and symmetrical line at22 with the top member l6 and the arrow formation terminates at 23.Extending forwardly from the chamber II is 'the box like orrectangularmember 24 which extends to the rear and attached' within themember 24 is the red glass window 25. Attached rearwardl'y of the window25 is the concave reflector 26 to which is attached the socket 11 intowhich is received the bulb 23. The member 24 includes the forwardlyextending sides 23 which extend a substantial distance from the glass'member 25 to provide means for shading the same from the sunlight.

A suitable wire lead 33 is coiled at 3| and passes upwardly through thehollow portion 32 intheshaft II. The wire3llis attachedtothe sockets 33which are attached to suitable brackets 34 which in turn are attached atthe top of the member I3- Electric light bulbs 35 are attached withinthe sockets :3. Attached to the shaft l4 at 36 is the gear member 3'!which includes the gear teeth 38 which are situated on approximatelyone-half of the circumference thereof. I

'A furthertransverse member 39 includes a series of teeth 39a adapted tomesh with the teeth 38 and the member 39 is rectangular in shape andterminates in the left hand circular iron plunger 40 and the right handplunger 4|.

' The plungers 40 and 4| are received within holwithin the tube 52.At'the end of the plunger 53 is located the male slightly taperedextremity 55 which is received within a cavity 56 which is cut out ofthe member 39. A slight amount of clearance is left between the member55 and 56. The lower end of the shaft I4 is suitably journalled on thebase 48.

The device is controlled by means of the switch 51 which includes thetoggle arm 58 having the handle 59. The arm 58 pivots at 68 and extendsinto the contacting portion 6| which is connected at 62 to the lead 63which is connected as shown in the circuit of Figure '7. Furthercontacts 64, 65,66 and 61 are situated in the switch 51. -The variousmembers of the device are connected 'to the battery 68 and the variousmoving and in the direction shown by the arrow 69 in Figure 4. Theplunger 53 is then in its forward position with the member 55 receivedwithin the female portion 56. The arrow is thereby locked firmly againstrelative movement light bulbs 35, the rear stop light bulb 28, and atthe same time actuates the small solenoid 5| 1 ment. At the same instantcontact is established at 61 which by examination of the diagram willshow that the right hand solenoid 45 is actuated. This then throws theplunger 4| into thesolenoid 45 and correspondingly rotates the gear 31in the direction of the arrow II! which in turn swings the shaft H inthe corresponding direction and carries the arrow member l8 around toindicate a left turn. The tapered for mation of the engaging members 55and 56 pre-- vent jamming of the device and also since the small plunger53 is of less mass and of a smaller distance from the other parts itwill move quicker up the bulbs 35, which actuates the solenoid 5| andwhich actuates the rear bulb 28. At the same time, through thecontact'at 65 the left hand solenoid 44 is actuated and the arrow member|8 will swing in the direction of the arrow II as shown in Figure 4indicating a right turn.

The coiled wire 3| which leads to the bulbs 35 prevents undue strain onthe same due to its helical formation as the arrow member is swung fromleft to right. It will be seen that upon either left or right turns thatthe rear bulbs 28 will be lighted which will give a further signalingeffect to the driver in the rear although the same is not reallynecessary during daylight conditions since the arrow 18 will be plainlyvisible at any point. However, the lighting of the bulb 28 which will bevisible through a red or other glass 25 will serve to accentuate theeffect of visibility especially. during cloudy days or at night and dueto the hooded features of the hood 29 will assist the action duringlighter conditions. The lighting of the bulb 28 simultaneously with theoperation of the arrow |8 also assists in indicating a turn since thevehicle usually slows down before such turning.

However, as aforesaid for daylight driving conditions, the visibility ofthe arrow is quite prominent and it can be made of a silver color or anyother color readily visible. The Celluloid 28' of the arrow can be madeof red color or any other suitable color so that for night driving theindicator is readily visible and even though the same effects areobtained during the day time they will not be necessary although thesefeatures would materially assist the visibility in certain cases. Thelight 28 can also be connected into the circuit with the lead 12 whichis actuated by the usual brake contact 13 so that the bulb 28 serves asa stop signal also. Y

After turning, the operator throws the handle 58 to neutral position anddue to the. compression of the springs within the solenoid and theresulting mass of the plunger with the momentum imparted thereto willinsure that the bar 39 will be. thrown back past the center point andsince the plunger 53 is already released the male member 55 thereof willsnap into engagement with the female portion 56 thereby locking thearrow in forward or neutral position.

Figure 6 illustrates a modification wherein the arrangement is supportedon a bracket 14 which is attached at '15'to the side of a truck or otherhigher vehicle which may necessitate a side mounting although theprincipal use of the device is intended for the top of the automobile.The

same manner as previously described.

In referring to the switch as shown in Figures 8 and 9, it will beobserved that the contacts are 7 mounted upon an insulating member 16.Figure 11 shows the useof the device at street intersectionsand-explains the use of the device, showing how it is readily visiblefrom all points where vision are indicated by the arrows 11.

Figure 10 illustrates a slightly modified form of the device whichincludes an aerial or antenna attachment. Present day vehicles use suchantennae for the use of radios and which antennae are usually positionedon the top of the vehicle. The foregoing structure is the same for theturn indicator with the exception, however,- that I attach to the arrowindicator at I8, an insulator 19 which includes the bracket 80, whichbracket firmly holds the antennae wire 90. The wire can curvedownwardly, at 91 and extends rearwardly to the approximate point 92where it is connected to an insulator wire lead 93, which passes througha suitable opening in the lower point of the indicator arrow l8 andwhich in turn passes into the arrow and downwardly through the shaft llin the same. manner as the wire 30.

The looping of the wire lead as shown prevents moisture from enteringinto the arrangement sinceit is at a lower point. It will be noted fromthis construction that the antenna can be mounted directly upon thesignaling unit without destroying the eiilciency of the arrangement andthat it also provides a desirable and suitable mounting for the aerial.Normally the arrow will be pointing forwardly in the direction of thevehicle as shown in Figure 10 and will be in a normal position and willonly be positioned transversely during the turning operation.

any suitable manner.

The ap pearance is also symmetrical with the design of the indicator andconnections can be made in 'E'shaft.

It will now be seen that I have provided a turn indicator whichindicates a left or right turn or stop, which is mounted in such aposition on the vehicle that it can be seen from all points, which has aneat'and symmetrical appearance.

.which can be seen readily in either strong sunlight or at night, whichworks smoothly and instantly, which can be kept locked in forwardposition, and which can be manufactured at a reasonable cost. It will bealso seen that I have provided a turn indicator which includes asuitable radio antenna connection attached thereto. Other advantages arereadily apparent from the description.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of theparts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purposeof my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claim anymodified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which maybe reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

A turn indicator for automobiles comprising a substantiallysemi-spherical hollow member, an enclosing covering member adapted tofollow the upper contour of said substantially semi-spherical membe anarrow member integrally formed with said covering member, means forrotating said covering member to rotate the arrow to selected position,a shaft attached to said covering memberand rotatable within the upperportion of said semi-spherical member, said arrow member providing acovering at the top of said AUGtl'ST F. PFINGS'I'EN.

